THAILAND 4- The Nightmarish Night Market

As an avid woman of the night who, I must confess, enjoys shopping, I thought I’d love browsing through Chang Mai’s Night Market. Turns out, it was the worst part of my trip.

Ask how much something costs, and you're absolutely done far. The vendors do not take no for an answer. They kiss your ass, whine, and then give the evil glare- in that order- every single time. No material possession is worth that stress.

I must have needed to pay up some negative karma points, because I end up getting lost. And, just because the Gods have a sense of humor, I’m starving. Why not buy some food from one of the bazillion restaurants, you ask? Because I’m a cheap idiot who doesn’t like eating under stress. I plow my through the stands, desperately searching for the old lady selling seafood for five baht. (Fifteen cents!) Alas, she is nowhere in sight. Neither is the hotel. I pass a homeless man, and am in such a miserable state that I almost walking. His situation puts perspective on my “suffering,” however, and I give him 50 baht. Next block over, I run into a group of teenage motorcycle taxi drivers. They offer a ride for 50 baht, but since I need 5 for my dinner, I offer 45. They mercifully accept my pitiful bargain, and I get to sit for the remainder of the journey.

I wish I could say that I learned my lesson, and will never return to that dreadful place, but the Gods really are funny this evening. While I was out, the rest of the group decided they want to visit the Night Market later on this evening. Mercifully, they get distracted at the bar, and all thoughts of shopping are forgotten.